US Coast Guard

Carteret County’s designation as a Coast Guard Community – only the second county in the nation to be so recognized – was widely promoted by the local news media as well as by the U.S. Coast Guard itself.

Robin Comer, Chair of the Carteret County Board of Commissioners, expressed greetings received from Senator Norman Sanderson and Representative Pat McElraft, who were in Raleigh working on General Assembly business and could not attend the ceremony February 25 in Morehead City.

Our legislators signed an official Certificate of Congratulations. It noted that the U.S. Congress established the Coast Guard Cities/Communities Program in 1998 to recognize special communities that support Team Coast Guard. The cities/communities are selected by the Coast Guard Commandant in recognition of their efforts to acknowledge the professional work of Coast Guard men and women serving in their area.

“Carteret County has developed a strong relationship with their Coast Guard personnel and families and has welcomed them into the community at large,” wrote Sen. Sanderson and Rep. McElraft.

“Therefore (we) extend most sincere congratulations to Carteret County, North Carolina, as it is formally designated and honored as a ‘Coast Guard Community, U.S.A.’”

Ben Crabtree of Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 20-02, Morehead City, sent a note of thanks to the Chamber:

“I just wanted to express my appreciation to the members of the Chamber of Commerce for all of the hard work and leadership that your team put forth in having Carteret County named a ‘Coast Guard Community.’ Know that your efforts are sincerely appreciated by many but especially the Coast Guard; both active and retired.

“As a volunteer for the last 10 years with the Coast Guard Auxiliary, I am well aware of the difference that support by this community for the mission of the Coast Guard and their families truly makes a difference in their quality of life.

“Again congratulations and Bravo Zulu to all of those involved in making today’s event (February 25) happen!!”

All Carteret County Chamber members are invited to attend the John C. Beitz Service Person of the Quarter Luncheon at 12 noon Friday, February 12, at the Crystal Coast Civic Center, Morehead City.

The MAC will pay tribute to outstanding service members from Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, the Coast Guard and Army Reserve.

The luncheon caterer is Texas Steakhouse. The menu is: Salad and dressings, grilled chicken served with pepper and onions, rice pilaf and seasonal vegetables with rolls and butter. Select sweet or unsweet iced tea to drink.

The cost to attend is $10 per person. Register and pay online at www.nccoastchamber.com/MAC Luncheon.

Additionally, it is now possible to sign up and pay online for the four 2016 Service Person of the Quarter Luncheons. The package deal for all four luncheons is $35 (a $5 savings).

Chamber members are invited to contribute gifts for the honorees. We are seeking three identical items or three gifts of equal value. Select merchandise, gift cards, gift certificates or cash. For more information about the MAC, contact Lana Jernigan at lana@nccoastchamber.com or 252-726-6350.

Pedro set to fly one last time Friday

By Chris Hoffman, WCTI

MCAS Cherry Point’s HH-46 search and rescue helicopter, commonly known as Pedro, is set to fly one last time Friday.Pamlico County Emergency Management Director Chris Murray said the ending of Pedro will be the loss of an asset.

“We requested their help countless times,” Murray said.

The United States Coast Guard also said it is a loss, but it won’t impact their search and rescue operations.

“The plan for the Coast Guard is still the same as always. We will still respond with the same assets that we had before from Fort Macon to Elizabeth City down to Oak Island,” Coast Guard Chief Warrant Officer Keith Moore said.

Pedro’s retirement is the “end of an era”

On Friday, September 25th, MCAS Cherry Point’s search and rescue (SAR) services in eastern North Carolina will discontinue as “Pedro” retires.

There has been lots of discussion at local, state and national levels, regarding the future of the remaining Pedro units at MCAS Cherry Point. Over the past few weeks, just three helicopters were left in the squadron, and the final three in the military. Their retirement has created quite a stir in our community, who recognizes them most favorably for their civilian search and rescue missions.

“I don’t know what the Marine Corps is going to do without them. They’re an irreplaceable part of our community,” said airfield operations secretary, Chauntelle Chandler.

“The Marine Corps and the search and rescue teams themselves do more for the community than what the community knows,” Chandler said. “I’m going to miss it a lot. I have not gotten used to the idea of not seeing them.”

Marine Corps officials say the helicopters have come to the end of their life span. They would need to be replaced if the unit was going to be continued, but it would cost too much to do so.

“We know they do a lot of good work, but also we know that everything moves on these aircrafts. They are very old and it’s time for them to be put away,” says Mike Barton, director of public affairs at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point.” And from there, the money that the Marine Corps will save will be used for other things that Marines out there need.”

The loss of Pedro is monumental

The loss of Pedro is monumental: The unit performs approximately 50 life-saving missions annually—helping aviators, boaters, and lost children via medevac flights for civilians. Pedro was particularly valuable in 1999 after Hurricane Floyd when the unit rescued 399 people from flooding and provided humanitarian assistance to the eastern part of the state. During 2014, Pedro was involved in at least 22 critical life-saving rescues that responded to civilian emergencies, including 11 missions where injured individuals were delivered to regional hospitals.

Next steps: Can Civil Air Patrol fill void?

There is a local Civil Air Patrol (Cunningham Field Composite Squadron NC 160) who says they are willing to help out where they can. Senior members of the Patrol are working on getting more of their emergency services qualifications so they’ll be more prepared if/when called on. Hopefully, five pilots will be ready and certified to make searches by the end of the year.

ACT will continue to meet with state legislators, leaders of the North Carolina National Guard and North Carolina Highway Patrol to assess search and rescue alternatives. There is a vast area of land and water that must be covered adequately and efficiently when emergencies occur and we are looking for concrete answers as to how emergency search and rescue will be accomplished.

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